Siemens acquires Canopus AI to boost AI-driven semiconductor metrology
Siemens has acquired French startup Canopus AI to expand its electronic design automation (EDA) portfolio with AI-based metrology and inspection software for semiconductor manufacturing. The move brings computational and AI-driven measurement capabilities deeper into Siemens’ semiconductor design-to-manufacturing digital thread.
For eeNews Europe readers, this deal is relevant because it targets one of the most pressing pain points in advanced chip production: how to control process variability and yield as geometries shrink and complexity explodes. It also highlights how AI is moving from experimentation into core production tooling across the semiconductor value chain.
AI meets massive metrology
As device nodes advance and production volumes rise, the industry is increasingly dependent on “massive metrology” to keep yields under control. Traditional inspection and measurement approaches struggle to scale with the sheer amount of data generated in advanced fabs.
Siemens says Canopus AI’s technology directly addresses this challenge. The Grenoble-based company develops AI-powered software for wafer and mask metrology and inspection, using advanced algorithms to extract more value from measurement data and close gaps between inspection and metrology workflows. By integrating these capabilities, Siemens aims to give chipmakers more intelligent, data-driven insight into manufacturing processes.
According to Siemens, the acquisition strengthens its position in the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem by adding AI-enhanced metrology technologies to its existing EDA and manufacturing software stack.
Extending the Calibre digital thread
A key part of the strategy is tying Canopus AI’s technology into Siemens’ Calibre portfolio, which already plays a major role in computational lithography and manufacturing physics simulation. The idea is to create a tighter feedback loop between design intent, lithography simulation, and what actually gets printed on silicon.
“The acquisition of Canopus AI exemplifies Siemens’ commitment to leveraging industrial AI to solve critical challenges in semiconductor manufacturing,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, president and CEO, Siemens Digital Industry Software. “By combining the computational lithography and manufacturing physics simulation capability in our Calibre portfolio with Canopus-AI’s advanced metrology and inspection technologies, we are creating a differentiated, end-to-end EDA digital thread that improves the fidelity of printed wafer patterns, accelerates yield ramp and reduces time-to-volume for advanced nodes. This integration further advances our vision of a comprehensive, high-accuracy, semiconductor manufacturing digital twin, enabling sub-nanometer process control and mask development.”
From Grenoble to a global footprint
Founded in 2021, Canopus AI has focused on what it calls “Metrospection,” an AI-driven approach that bridges conventional wafer metrology and inspection. Its software framework helps fabs and mask shops meet the extreme precision demands of leading-edge nodes.
“We are delighted to join Siemens and bring the power of AI-enabled metrology in the semiconductor industry to a broader audience as part of Siemens’ EDA community of users,” said Joël Alanis, chief executive officer, Canopus AI. “Together, we’ll empower innovators pushing the boundaries of semiconductor design and manufacturing with robust wafer and mask metrology and inspection and help them to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing semiconductor industry.”
The transaction closed on January 12, 2026, underscoring Siemens’ ongoing push to embed industrial AI more deeply into semiconductor manufacturing workflows.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
